We Are What We Are, What We Shall Be, Again
by notshorty329
Summary: 25 years have passed since the original Rookie 9 graduated from the Academy, and much of Konoha has changed since. However, there's a new spirit in Konoha... a new generation of strength. But can they keep history from repeating itself once more?


Caroline: & so its begins…

PLEASE review. I'm not asking you to like it-I just want something to follow by so yeah… just do it, okay?

……..or Ayane _will_ blow your head off.

ENJOY.

((btw-this WILL be the only chapter with first-person-narration-flashback-sequence... whew... yeah))

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**CHAPTER ONE**

It was it.

_The_ day.

The day all kids under the age of twelve waited for.

Graduation day.

Oh yes… I remember that day.

One by one, kids were called from the room, returning with either a headband to show off or another year in the academy. Most of them passed.

"Takumi Ayane…"

I watched as my best friend flicked her eyes from her drawing and up to he teacher, before sighing and leaving the room, pouting. She returned several minutes later with a headband and a smirk to match, and sat down snickering.

"Exploding clones…" she managed to say with a glint in her eyes, before returning to her drawing.

What a psychopath… smart as she is, she'd rather waste her time on some kind of art project, and she wastes all her energy making things flashier than needed. Quite a little troublemaker, but… there's more to her than she appears to be… a side of her she keeps hidden from the rest… something _special_.

'She'll be an interesting addition to any team…' I remember thinking with a small laugh.

"Guys, _seriously_! Stop it!" I turned around in time to see that little blonde boy that Ayane's childhood crush grab the water gun from Haruno Ichigo and Michi Aoi and begin shooting it, laughing maniacally.

My eyes flicked quickly to Ayane and it was as I imagined.

Her eyes were wide and focused on the single water droplet that had hit her paper. The room had gone quiet… all except for the continuous shouting of the boys. It was only a few seconds before her dark brown eyes narrowed into little slits and her head jerked around.

"Hibiki…" she said, anger dripping from her voice.

The blonde began waving his hands nervously and sweating in fear, apologizing repeatedly. Poor kid… apologizing doesn't cut it when it involves Ayane. She stormed over to him, and one could almost see hate radiating from her. She grabbed him by the shirt collar and yelled something totally indecipherable, though I managed to catch a few 'un's and 'yeah's…

She sat down when she felt she had done enough damage, and the room remained quiet for a few minutes as her eyes scanned over the drawing. She smiled contentedly & her eyes closed cheerfully.

"All dry now, yeah…" she chirped, placing the paper back down and continuing to draw on it.

When it was assumed safe, the talking ensued, and the ninjas that had just entered the room were told several different versions of one story. The only thing that remained constant were the looks that Ayane received at the end of the story.

The teacher cleared his throat.

"Uzumaki Hibiki…"

The battered blonde exited the room slowly, as not to injure himself any further. To my surprise, minutes later he entered the room with a black headband tied under his bangs. And though I don't tend to get too involved in popular fashion, I must say, it complemented his swollen, black eye very nicely.

I waited my turn out for a bit longer, my eyes flicking to Ayane's drawing every now and then to make note of her progress, and at one point, I think I may have managed to make a friendly conversation with her. Although, it was quickly cut off by a round of insults and a barrage of threats.

What a hot-tempered little bitch.

"Wakana Naoko…"

I lifted my head from the table and wandered past the teacher, down the hallway, and into a room with only two teachers at a desk.

"Whenever you're ready," Udon-sensei said, smiling.

'Just breathe…' I thought calmly, forming the handsigns quickly & closing my eyes.

"Kage no bunshin!" I yelled, fifteen clones or so filling the room in an instant.

As much fun as it would be, I went against the rash decision to make the clones explode, such as what Ayane followed. I gave a small smile at the smell of smoke still hovering in the room. The clones disappeared, and I crossed my arms calmly, awaiting the decision.

The teachers whispered amongst themselves before smiling and nodding towards me.

"Congratulations," they said, holding out a blue headband. "You pass."

I smiled politely and bowed my head respectfully, before wandering back down the hallway and tying my headband under my bangs, entering the noisy classroom.

A fellow artist, Jamie, was busy chatting with Ayane, who nodded at something and laughed before taking notice of me.

"So… did you pass or not?"

"I wouldn't be wearing this thing on my head if I didn't…" I said, pointing to my headband.

Ayane pouted and narrowed her eyes at me, meaning she had nothing more to say to me or anyone else, and she quickly turned her anger to her hand as she began to draw quickly on another sheet of paper. Jamie watched eagerly and cringed suddenly, before Ayane slid the drawing my way.

I blinked my eyes at the drawing a few times, trying to process the thought of a rather devilish-looking Ayane causing me to spontaneously combust by using… _were those birds?_

What an imagination…

"Very intimidating, Ayane… _really_…" I said, handing the drawing back to her calmly.

She pouted and slammed her fist on the table, muttering indecipherable curses and something about explosions.

Ah well, she'll get over it in an hour or so… not like she has anyone else to call up anyways. A strange couple of friends we are, I assume… but we're close and I guess that's all that matters, really.

My thoughts broke when Udon-sensei appeared at the front of the room, clearing his throat and wiping his nose.

"Congratulations to the graduating class of this year…" he said with a smile. "Those of you who passed will, of course, be split up into three-man squads, each headed by a Jonin leader. Now, if you would please be so kind as to lower your voice, I will announce the squads and their leaders and you may leave when your squad has been announced. You will all meet your leaders back here tomorrow at 9 AM… do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," came a chorus of replies.

Udon-sensei wiped his nose again, and I had failed to listen to the names of the first two squads… although my ears perked up quickly after the Squad Two leader's name was spoken.

"Squad three…" he said calmly. "Uzumaki Hibiki…"

The beaten and bruised blonde looked up from playing with his necklace to stare at the sensei wide-eyed, blinking confusedly. I doubt he knew what was even going on.

"Wakana Naoko…"

I stared ahead, resting my head upon my hand, and blinking a few times to give some kind of false hint that I was paying attention. In reality, I was just glad I got to leave earlier.

"And Takumi Ayane…"

Ah, the bond that will tie that Uzumaki kid and I together... she looked up with a scowl on her face, her pen dropping to the floor. What kind of anger was going through her mind I would hate to imagine, but she held it in for now; she had learned long ago it was best not to yell at our Academy teacher.

"Led by Irisa..." Udon-sensei flipped the page quickly before raising his eyes at us. "Unless you three have any questions, you may now leave."

I stood up to leave and bumped into Hibiki on the way out.

"So… nine tomorrow?" he asked, rubbing his bruised eye.

I nodded and continued on my way out the door until Ayane stormed past silently & quickly. I shut the door to the classroom with Hibiki beside me, and we stood there watching until her footsteps no longer echoed against the walls of the hallway.

There was a loud slam of the door to the outside world, and I could have sworn I heard some sort of minor explosion. I looked to Hibiki for a moment.

Little did I know that it would be the two of us staring at each other just months later, hearing the slam of a thousand dreams burst in on our minds.

**To be continued…**

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Caroline: yeah bitch so… if I manage to get enough reviews… that means a…

XD ((gasp))

QUiCKER UPDATE!!!

so get to it, dattebayo!!

oh &... incase you're confused... appearances, background stories, and all that jazz will be cleared up in the near future, unya!!


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